Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 180
Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele | |
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Thomaskirche, Leipzig | |
Occasion | 20th Sunday after Trinity |
Chorale | "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele" by Johann Franck |
Performed | 22 October 1724 Leipzig : |
Movements | 7 |
Vocal | SATB choir and soloists |
Instrumental |
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Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele (Adorn yourself, O dear soul),[1] BWV 180, in Leipzig for the 20th Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 22 October 1724.
The
History and words
Bach wrote the cantata in his second year in Leipzig as part of
The cantata text is based on the Eucharistic hymn in nine stanzas "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele" (1649), with a text by Johann Franck and a melody by Johann Crüger,[4][5] thus connecting the "great banquet" from the gospel to the Abendmahl (Eucharist).[3] The hymn is sung during a service in preparation for the holy communion, and imagines a bride getting ready for her wedding. An unknown author kept the text of the first, middle and last stanzas (1, 4, and 9), and paraphrased the other stanzas to arias and recitatives: stanzas 2 and 7 to arias; stanzas 3, 5–6 and 8 to recitatives. He stayed close to the original and did not seek closer relation to the readings than given by the general context.[3]
Bach composed the cantata subsequent to his
Music
Structure and scoring
Bach structured the cantata in seven
In the following table of the movements, the scoring follows the
No. | Title | Text | Type | Vocal | Winds | Strings | Key | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele | Franck | Chorale fantasia | SATB | 2Fl 2Ob | 2Vl Va | F major | 12/8 |
2 | Ermuntre dich, dein Heiland klopft | anon. | Aria | T | Ft | C major | ||
3 | Wie teuer sind des heilgen Mahles Gaben! – Ach, wie hungert mein Gemüte | anon. | Recitative and chorale | S | Vlcp | |||
4 | Mein Herz fühlt in sich Furcht und Freude | anon. | Recitative | A | 2Fl | |||
5 | Lebens Sonne, Licht der Sinnen | anon. | Aria | S | 2Fl 2Ob | 2Vl Va | ||
6 | Herr, laß an mir dein treues Lieben | anon. | Recitative | B | ||||
7 | Jesu, wahres Brot des Lebens | Franck | Chorale | SATB | 2Ob Ot | 2Vl Va | F major |
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Movements
The Eucharistic hymn, with a tune that alternates in an intriguing way between phrases of two and three measures, appears in three movements, the opening
1
The opening chorus, "Schmücke dich, du liebe Seele" (Adorn yourself, beloved soul).
2
A transverse flute accompanies the tenor voice in the aria "Ermuntre dich: dein Heiland klopft" (Be lively now, your Savior knocks).[1] The knocking is expressed in repeated notes.[11] Throughout the movement, a motif identified by Albert Schweitzer as a joy motif pictures an "almost breathless expression of personal euphoria".[8] The demanding flute part was probably composed for the excellent flute player for whom Bach first wrote a few weeks earlier in Was frag ich nach der Welt, BWV 94, and then in other cantatas during the fall of 1724.[11]
3
A violoncello piccolo complements the soprano in a recitative, which begins as a
4
Two recorders reflect the text of the alto recitative, "Mein Herz fühlt in sich Furcht und Freude" (My heart feels within itself fear and joy).[1] which develops to an arioso, with the recorders first playing just long chords, and then gradually adding motion.[11] Bach expresses joy ("Freude'’) in an extended melisma on the word.[8]
5
The full orchestra supports the soprano in the second aria, "Lebens Sonne, Licht der Sinnen" (Sun of life, light of the senses).[1] Mincham describes the da capo aria as "joyously ebullient". The short middle section of the aria touches minor keys. A melisma on alles (everything) stresses that God means all to the "redeemed sinner".[8]
6
The last recitative, "Herr, laß an mir dein treues Lieben" (Lord, let Your faithful love for me),[1] is secco, but closes as an arioso on the words "und deiner Liebe stets gedenken" (and considers your love constantly).[1] It is a prayer to God to both love the petitioner and evoke a "reciprocal affection."[8]
7
The closing chorale, "Jesu, wahres Brot des Lebens" (Jesus, true bread of life),[1] is set for four parts.[3][8]
Recordings
The entries for the table are taken from the selection on Bach Cantatas Website.[12] Groups with one voice per part (OVPP) and ensembles playing period instruments in historically informed performance are marked by green background.
Title | Conductor / Choir / Orchestra | Soloists | Label | Year | Choir type | Instr. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Radio Recording - Archiv-Nr: U0-09167 | Max Thurn
|
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NDR | 1962 | ||
Les Grandes Cantates de J.S. Bach Vol. 23 | Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn
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Erato | 1970 | |||
Bach Cantatas Vol. 5 – Sundays after Trinity II | Karl RichterMünchener Bach-ChorMünchener Bach-Orchester | Archiv Produktion | 1978 | |||
Die Bach Kantate Vol. 54 | Helmuth RillingGächinger KantoreiBach-Collegium Stuttgart |
|
Hänssler
|
1979 | ||
J. S. Bach: Das Kantatenwerk • Complete Cantatas • Les Cantates, Folge / Vol. 42 - BWV 180–184 | Gustav LeonhardtKnabenchor HannoverLeonhardt-Consort |
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Teldec | 1988 | Period | |
J. S. Bach: Cantatas with Violoncelle Piccolo (Vol. 1) | Ensemble Baroque de Limoges
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Auvidis Astrée | 1993 | Period | ||
J. S. Bach: Complete Cantatas Vol. 10 | Ton KoopmanAmsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir | Antoine Marchand | 1998 | Period | ||
Bach Edition Vol. 19 – Cantatas Vol. 10 | Holland Boys ChoirNetherlands Bach Collegium
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Brilliant Classics | 2000 | Period | ||
Bach Cantatas Vol. 11: Genova/Greenwich / For the 20th Sunday after Trinity / For the 21st Sunday after Trinity | John Eliot GardinerMonteverdi ChoirEnglish Baroque Soloists |
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Soli Deo Gloria | 2000 | Period | |
J. S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 26 – Cantatas from Leipzig 1724 | Masaaki SuzukiBach Collegium Japan | BIS | 2003 | Period | ||
J. S. Bach: Cantatas for the Complete Liturgical Year Vol. 1: "Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen" - Cantatas BWV 98 · 180 · 56 · 55 | Sigiswald KuijkenLa Petite Bande | Accent | 2004 | OVPP | Period
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References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dellal, Pamela. "BWV 180 – Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
- ^ Wolff, Christoph (1991). "The transition between the second and the third yearly cycle of Bach's Leipzig cantatas (1725)" (PDF). Bach Cantatas website. p. 2. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
- ^ ISBN 3-423-04080-7.
- ^ "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele / Text and Translation of Chorale". Bach Cantatas Website. 2005. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
- ^ ISBN 9780810881815. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
- ^ a b Bischof, Walter F. "BWV 180 Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele". University of Alberta. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- ^ Grob, Jochen (2014). "BWV 180 / BC A 149" (in German). s-line.de. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Mincham, Julian (2010). "Chapter 21 BWV 180 Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele". jsbachcantatas.com. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
- ^ Hofmann, Klaus (2004). "Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele / Ahdorn yourself, beloved soul" (PDF). Bach Cantatas Website. p. 5−6. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
- ^ "Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works / Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele". Bach Cantatas Website. 2006. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Gardiner, John Eliot (2006). Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Cantatas Nos 38, 49, 98, 109, 162, 180 & 188 (Media notes). Soli Deo Gloria (at Hyperion Records website). Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ Oron, Aryeh. "Cantata BWV 180 Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
Sources
- Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 180: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele BWV 180; BC A 149 / Chorale cantata (20th Sunday after Trinity) Bach Digital
- BWV 180 Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele: English translation, University of Vermont
- Luke Dahn: BWV 180.7 bach-chorales.com